Thin Skin
Eliška Brtnická & coll.
The world as a graphic model, a landscape of lines. Metal rods intertwine in space with the bodies of the performers, who sensitively receive the physical responses of the material – their partner. Moving sculptures appear and disappear. Their archetypal skeletons can be wrapped in meanings or just be left to flow. The body imprints itself in the material, the image in the mind, time bends. This “intuitive physics” demonstrates the most basic principles of being in the earth’s gravitational field.
In Thin Skin, the creators focused on the trapeze as a kinetic and action sculpture. The trapeze was deconstructed, its parameters radically changed, and the protagonist became a long thin iron rod.
“We are fascinated by the behaviour of the material; the movement of the suspended rod almost hypnotizes us. Certain movements can irreversibly affect the shape of the trapeze bar and create new conditions of non-stability to which we must adapt. We come to terms with a fragility and vulnerability that can only be felt through thin skin.”
Eliška Brtnická
is a performer, choreographer, dramaturge and director. She graduated in non-verbal theatre at the Academy of Performing Arts (HAMU) in Prague, where she completed her PhD in 2018, focusing on contemporary circus. In 2010 she founded the company Cirkus Mlejn, where she creates her projects. In 2017 she completed a year-long course in circus dramaturgy at the prestigious French circus school CNAC in Châlons-en-Champagne. She has been involved in artistic research in the field of contemporary circus for many years. In Thin Skin she asks questions about what a trapeze is, what forms it can take, how it reflects on the movement of the body and what this movement conveys to the spectator. Her work is characterized by strong visual elements, which is why her new project is presented in the context of the gallery. She is also the dramaturge of the international Fun Fatale festival.
Alžběta Tichá
is a performer, acrobat and author. Before discovering her passion for aerial acrobatics, she studied dance at the Duncan Centre Conservatory in Prague. In 2020 she graduated from Codarts – University of Arts in the Netherlands, majoring in Vertical Rope and three years later from the International Circus Center for Artistic Research program in Spain. As a performer, she has participated in various projects such as Hansel and Gretel by Matěj Forman, Kid by Francesco Sgró, Li(n)es by Daniel Gulk, The Jungle Book by Štěpán Pechar and Matěj Forman, Land of Body by Radim Vizváry and others. She is a co-founder of the Feel the Universe Circus Company, but she also works as an author. Currently, she is working on her own project Frequency, which was included in the selection of the twelve best projects of the Circus Next platform.
Filip Zahradnický
is a performer and juggler. He graduated from The Academy of Modern Circus in Copenhagen. He presented his graduation show Vermilion at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, where he won two awards. He is a member of Cirk La Putyka, with whom he performed at the Berlin Chamäleon, has performed in several international projects and is also a solo artist.
CONCEPT, DIRECTION: Eliška Brtnická CREATION, PERFORMANCE: Alžběta Tichá, Filip Zahradnický, Eliška Brtnická
SOUND DESIGN: Stanislav Abrahám, Roman Džačár LIGHTING DESING: Martin Špetlík LIGHTING TECHNICIAN: Prokop Vondruška, Jan Hugo Hejzlar COSTUMES: Tereza Kopecká MATERIALS: Prokop Vondruška CONSULTATION: Ilona Jäntti, Stéphanie N’Duhirahe, Markéta Vacovská, Hana Turečková DOKUMENTATION OF THE ARTISTIC RESEARCH: Kateřina Korychová (diploma thesis) PHOTO: Anna Benháková VIDEO: Kryštof Čížek PRODUCER: Cirkus Mlejn, z.s. CO-PRODUCER: DOX
FINANCIAL SUPPORT: The City of Prague, Ministry of Culture Czech Republic PARTNERS: KD Mlejn, Cirqueon, Diod Jihlava, Metropolis.dk
PREMIERE: 24. 10. 2022, DOX, Praha DURATION: 60 min AGE: 8+
